Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has suffered a significant legal setback after the Court of Appeal rejected his attempt to overturn an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court.
The judges confirmed that Robinson’s breaches of a High Court injunction were serious and deliberate, supporting the original sentencing judge’s “meticulous approach.”
Robinson, aged 42, was jailed in October 2023 for repeatedly violating a 2021 injunction that barred him from spreading falsehoods about Jamal Hijazi, a Syrian schoolboy who successfully sued Robinson for libel.
The defamatory claims originated from a viral 2018 video showing Mr Hijazi being attacked at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield. Despite losing the libel case and being ordered to pay £100,000 in damages, Robinson continued to promote the false allegations.
He released a film titled Silenced that recycled the defamatory claims on social media and showcased it during a protest in Trafalgar Square in 2023.
At Woolwich Crown Court, Mr Justice Johnson condemned Robinson’s actions as “flagrant,” emphasizing that “nobody is above the law.”
During the appeal, Robinson argued that his mental health conditions, including ADHD and complex PTSD, deteriorated during segregation at HMP Woodhill, making the sentence harsher than anticipated.
His lawyer, Alisdair Williamson KC, claimed that Robinson’s condition was “making him ill” and that the court did not have full details at the time of sentencing.
However, the Court of Appeal, led by Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, disagreed with these claims. They stated there was no new medical evidence sufficient to reduce the sentence.
The 15-page ruling explained: “Even taking the appellant’s case at its highest, we see no reasonable basis for the contention that the conditions that he is experiencing are so substantially worse than the judge anticipated… The evidence falls far short of the standard for a successful criminal appeal based on fresh medical evidence.”
The judges also noted that Robinson could reduce his sentence by four months if he removes the defamatory content from his online platforms, as previously recommended.
An Attorney General’s Office spokesperson welcomed the ruling, stating: “Stephen Yaxley-Lennon repeatedly ignored judges’ orders and continued to spread libellous allegations. His 18-month sentence reflected how gravely the court considers contempt.”
This appeal defeat follows another legal loss for Robinson in March, when the High Court dismissed his challenge regarding prison conditions.
Robinson is scheduled for release on July 26, having served half of his sentence. However, he will not be eligible for further reductions unless he complies with the order to delete the offending material.
The High Court injunction originated after Robinson made libellous Facebook posts falsely accusing Jamal Hijazi of attacking girls at school. These false claims led to abuse and threats against the boy.
Mr Justice Nicklin awarded £100,000 in damages to Mr Hijazi and ordered Robinson to stop repeating the lies. Robinson’s defiance of this order resulted in his imprisonment.
Originally published by UKNIP.
